The Independent
·24 November 2024
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·24 November 2024
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Amorim on if United is the impossible job
Ruben Amorim enjoyed a dream start to life at Manchester United but could not claim an opening win in the Premier League as Ipswich claimed a draw at Portman Road.
Marcus Rashford scored after just two minutes of Amorim’s first game in charge - with the Portuguese coach seeing his new system click into gear in a stylish move.
But Omari Hutchinson equalised before half time with a wonderful curling effort into the top corner and United needed Andre Onana to be on top form to secure the visitors a point.
The United goalkeeper twice denied Liam Delap with fine saves, leaving Amorim with plenty of work to do to get his new side to where he wants them to be.
Follow all the reaction from the 1-1 draw, below:
Pinned
Ruben Amorim had to settle for a point on his debut as Manchester United head coach after Omari Hutchinson cancelled out Marcus Rashford’s second-minute opener in an end-to-end 1-1 Premier Leaguedraw at Ipswich.
Amorim had dubbed himself ‘the smiling one’ on Friday but was motionless when Rashford tapped home after 81 seconds following excellent play by Amad Diallo, who was used at right wing-back.
Newly-promoted Town, buoyed by a first league win of the season at Tottenham a fortnight ago, responded with aplomb and levelled after 43 minutes through Hutchinson’s deflected left-footed strike.
Ruben Amorim watched Manchester United play out a 1-1 draw at Ipswich to move up to 12th in the Premier League.
Chris Wilson24 November 2024 19:15
Ollie Watkins and Ross Barkley helped Aston Villa twice come from behind and earn a 2-2 draw with Premier League strugglers Crystal Palace.
A share of the spoils stopped the rot for Villa, who came into the match off the back of four straight defeats in all competitions, but it was hardly the ideal preparation for Wednesday’s European encounter with Juventus.
The four-game losing streak was the worst Unai Emery has had to endure during his 1,026 matches as a manager and things threatened to get worse when Ismaila Sarr stunned Villa Park with an early opener.
Villa have not won in six games.
Chris Wilson24 November 2024 22:00
In typically unconvincing fashion, Chelsea march on, thanks to the striker who is now, nestled nicely in Erling Haaland’s slipstream, perhaps the Premier League’s second-most-effective marksman.
The social media ridicule in the end became a difficult watch. Glaring misses in big games – the FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City a particularly profligate afternoon – saw Nicolas Jackson chastised by fans young and old, even his own, in a distasteful manner you only get from the brave souls sat behind their computer keyboards at home.
Only Haaland and another social media class clown, Darwin Nunez, missed more big chances than Jackson last season, leading to calls for the Senegal striker to be a makeweight for further incomings as Enzo Maresca shuffled his Chelsea pack in the summer transfer window.
Leicester 1-2 Chelsea – A late penalty couldn’t save the Foxes from defeat after Jackson and Fernandez netted
Chris Wilson24 November 2024 21:00
The Emirates rose to its feet as soon as it became clear Martin Odegaardwould be departing. As all sides stood to applaud Arsenal’s best display in weeks, there was recognition too of the wondrous touches and effortless shimmies that had defined a game. Amid the brilliance from Odegaard, Arsenal realised it is the simple things only he can do that they had missed the most. “When he’s in the team, you can sense something that is different,” said Mikel Arteta. “It’s difficult to put a finger on it, but it’s different.”
Nottingham Forest, who had beaten Liverpool and drawn at Chelsea to arrive at the Emirates level on points with Arsenal, looked second-best throughout and were dismissed 3-0. Arsenal were revitalised with their heartbeat restored, winning in the Premier League for the first time in five games. There was further reason to celebrate as Odegaard marked his first home appearance since August with a dazzling display. After a difficult, “nightmare” autumn that threatened to derail Arsenal’s title challenge, Odegaard helped restore the feelgood factor despite the bite of winter in the air.
And yet the match-winner, leading the way as Arsenal began a crucial run with an important victory, was Bukayo Saka.
Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest: Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka combined as the Gunners returned to winning ways in the Premier League
Chris Wilson24 November 2024 20:30
Five in a row has taken on a different meaning for Manchester City and Pep Guardiola. It was supposed to signify their pursuit of an unprecedented fifth consecutive English title. Instead, the immediate significance comes from another historic first. Guardiola has lost five consecutive matches, his worst ever run bookended by reverses against Tottenham Hotspur.
If the first scarcely left City distraught, with Guardiola unworried by exiting the Carabao Cup, the latest was more emphatic, more dramatic, more chastening, more stunning. Guardiola’s joint heaviest defeat became an embarrassment. He risks being expelled from the title race. City could find themselves eight points behind Liverpool on Sunday, perhaps returning from Anfield next week 11 adrift. That, Guardiola conceded, would be too big a gap to bridge.
“After eight years here I knew sooner or later we would drop,” he said. But perhaps not this far, this fast. Empires can collapse suddenly and dramatically but City’s was supposed to have been reinforced. This began as an evening of celebration; it became one of humiliation and capitulation. The new-contract bounce, of Guardiola committing his future to the club until 2027, lasted for about 12 minutes of football.
Manchester City 0-4 Tottenham: Guardiola’s side risk being knocked out of the title race after a fifth consecutive defeat in all competitions
Chris Wilson24 November 2024 20:00
Liverpool moved eight points clear at the top of the Premier League on Sunday as Mohamed Salah scored twice to help them come from behind to beat Southampton 3-2 at St Mary’s.
Arne Slot’s side were looking to take advantage of Manchester City’s third consecutive league defeat on Saturday but were rocked by a determined and at times ferocious display from the Saints, who briefly led after goals from Adam Armstrong and Mateus Fernandes cancelled out Dominik Szoboszlai’s first-half strike.
Liverpool’s opener had come from a costly Southampton error in defence, and there were two more after the break.
Chris Wilson24 November 2024 19:45
Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna is clearly happy with his side’s performance.
“That’s a healthy attitude for us to have. It’s where I want us to be.
“Conceding early is a blow but we were the dominant team in the first half.
“Second half, United had more control but we didn’t give up too many big chances. It was a competitive game we could have won but we take the point and move on to next week.
“You can see the growth in the team and when the game got difficult we were more mature. There is some good progress.
“We have to find ways to be competitive and sometimes we have to defend with the entire team, we did that in the second half. We are trying to be adaptable.”
Chris Wilson